Paula Corrêa Speaks to Kendall College School of Business

Kendall College School of Business Director Aurora Dawn Reinke visited Brazil earlier this year to meet with fellow educators and students. One of the people she met was Paula Corrêa De Menezes Leitão, a professor at UNIFACS in Salvador, Brazil. Paula Corrêa teaches an MBA Design course and Integrated Marketing Communication. She is also a mentor at Gritto Comunicação – UNIFACS´ communication agency. She is the author of books focusing on Integrated Marketing Communication and Merchandising and is a member of UNIFACS´ research group called NAVE which is focusing on advanced studies in business communication.

Kendall College School of Business students were lucky to have Ms. Corrêa visit to lecture on the socioeconomic impacts for Brazil of preparing for the World Cup in 2014 and the Summer Olympics in 2016. She also interacted with Kendall students about their observations and experiences in marketing communications, her area of specialty.

“I wanted to set up this visit to strengthen the connection between our two schools and to witness first-hand how Kendall’s business program operates,” said Ms. Corrêa. “I am also looking forward to speaking with Director Reinke and my mother, who is a researcher in the area of sustainability, to see if there are ways our institutions and communities can collaborate on that topic.”

Liliane De Queiroz Antônio, Ms. Corrêa’s mother, is the author of several books, a researcher at the Federal Institute of Bahia, certified in Knowledge Management by KM Institute of Washington. She was superintendent of scientific and technological development of the state of Bahia, coordinator of the core of applied research federation of industries of the state of Bahia, and today serves as a consultant to the Secretary of Science, Technology and Innovation. She is also the co-founder of a startup of agribusiness through a hybrid system of communication and information.

“Some people think Brazil is just soccer and poverty. We wanted to show a different side of Brazil [in this two day conference at Kendall College,]” shared Ms. Corrêa. “We have so many smart people. We’re great at marketing and advertising. I don’t know what’s going to happen after the World Cup and Olympics. We have no idea what the long-term impact will be after the events. [One thing I am speaking to Kendall students about is the fact that] we need to develop a long term plan or else these events aren’t good for Brazil’s long term economic growth.”

While the visit was brief, Ms. Corrêa was able to make the most of her time by meeting with several classes and faculty in the School of Business. “I love the 1-1 contact between students and teachers at Kendall,” said Ms. Corrêa. “[And] I love Chicago. There are so many different cultures represented here, and at Kendall. It’s a great learning environment. [International and domestic] students at Kendall bring different perspectives and really interact with each other. It’s great.”

“The School of Business is all about international these days with our commitment to a globally-focused, applied curriculum, ” says Director Reinke. “It’s an exciting time. I hope our outreach and exchange of ideas within the Laureate International Universities Network and beyond will increase more and more.”

Ms. Corrêa agreed, saying “I want my students to be in a place like Kendall. [Kendall’s] faculty and students are so creative. I think our students are creative [too] and would fit in well here.”

In the coming months, the School of Business hopes to host other speakers from across the globe and across the country to help students in the program expand their understanding everything from global movements to local small businesses.

NLU TRANSITION - Kendall and National Louis University have announced the transfer of Kendall's current programs to NLU, subject to regulatory approvals, expected to be determined later in 2018.Statement